Geographic Diversity: Public vs. Private Schools Mobile AL

Geographic Diversity: Public vs. Private Schools

By Howard and Matthew Greene

Public schools
Public institutions, those that receive a significant proportion of their operating budget from a state's government, usually give admission preference to in-state residents. These institutions also charge lower tuition to in-state students.

Some public schools restrict the proportion of out-of-state students admitted. UNC and the University of Illinois are examples. At schools like these, one does not typically gain an advantage by applying from out-of-state. This does not mean, however, that no public institutions recruit from out-of-state. However, schools like the Universities of Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado, and Vermont have built their reputations by including 30 percent or more out-of-state students in each incoming class. They appreciate the diversity, talents, and dollars that these students bring to campus.

Public institutions can play an important role in diversifying your college list. They can be (but are not always) more affordable. They offer an enormous variety of academic and pre-professional programs. They also typically utilize a form of rolling admission, which allows you to learn of admission decision within a couple of months. This can help you secure one or more spots while continuing with applications to other colleges.

Private schools
Private colleges are much more likely to consider geographic diversity as a positive factor .

Author: Amy Ambler

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